Gov't seeks feedback for Kai Tak, East Kowloon mass transit systems

Since the 2023 Policy Address, the gov't has been laying the groundwork for the projects.

The Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB), along with the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and the Highways Department (HyD), is inviting expressions of interest (EOI) from system suppliers and operators for the smart and green mass transit systems (SGMTS) in Kai Tak and East Kowloon. 

The government aims to invite tenders for the Kai Tak project next year and award the works contract in 2026. For the East Kowloon project, tenders will be invited in 2026, with the contract awarded in 2027.

The proposed Kai Tak SGMTS will span 3.5 km with five stations, connecting the former Kai Tak runway to the MTR station, and serving about 50,000 residents and workers.

The proposed SGMTS in East Kowloon, 7 km long with eight stations, will serve uphill areas in Kwun Tong. It also grants access to the MTR Choi Hung station and Yau Tong station.

Its alignment will pass through Choi Wan, Shun Lee, Shun On, Sau Mau Ping, Po Tat and Ma Yau Tong, serving over 300,000 residents in these areas. 

Since the 2023 Policy Address, the government has been laying the groundwork for the projects, awarding consultancy pacts mid of this year to begin investigation and design.

“Given that this will be the first time the SGMTS is introduced in Hong Kong, through this EOI invitation, we would like to further ascertain the interest and capability of the market in constructing and operating these two SGMTS and obtain feedback on different aspects, including the feasibility of expanding the system alignments in the future and measures to expedite the commissioning of the systems,” said a spokesperson from TLB.

The EOI exercise will also help the government assess whether project timelines can be compressed to shorten the overall duration. 
For each project, the government plans for a single entity to manage design, construction, operation, and maintenance under contracts lasting 20 to 30 years. Contractors will hand over the system in good operation conditions to the government at the end of the contract.

If needed, the government will consider providing financial support, including granting property development at proposed depot sites.

Although this EOI seeks technical feedback from the market, a spokesperson said “this is not a tender exercise, nor is it part of the procurement exercise.”
 
CEDD and HyD will host separate online briefing sessions for interested parties, with EOI invitation details available on their respective websites.